We love being connected with our readers! Since we have added those "handy dandy" features at the bottom of every article, we have noticed our readers have shared our articles, posted them on their personal profiles and more. We can not thank you enough for sharing this site with your friends and family. Even though we hope you come to ButYouDontLookSick.com every day for our new articles and tips.. we know there are other places on the web where you guys like to hang out. Social Networking is more and more popular and we like to stay connected! We can use technology as a tool to help each other and build a community.

Every month usually has an "awareness" campaign associated with it. A time of year, when during that month or week that organization combines their efforts to get information out to the public. For example October is Lupus Awareness Month and also Breast Cancer Awareness. You might notice more public service advertisments, or local fundraising walks in your area during these months. I thought it was interesting and important to have 1 list with all the national health awareness months. I have listed what I could find below. It is so important for all patients to support each other.

Long Island Business News Honors Christine Miserandino Donato as a "Heathcare Hero"

Long Island Business News and Hofstra University have recognized Christine Miserandino Donato for her work on ButYouDontLookSick.com and with the Lupus Alliance of America - Long Island/ Queens affiliate.

Unfortunately when you have a child with a chronic illness, you come to think of yourself as some sort of expert on the subject. It's not exactly a specialty that you dreamt of having, but one nonetheless that you take ownership of with some sense of pride.

I am so happy to announce that TEAM CHRISTINE raised $10,145 for the Lupus Walk!!!! Thank you everyone for your donations and support! As, of now we are the top fundraising team for this walk as we have been for many years. What a great legacy and tradition. We still have some checks comin in-- so hopefully we can reach for that $10,000 goal. If not, we are SO proud of how much we raised and our continued positive spirit as a team. We couldn't do it without all of your support and donations!!

You can still donate here: http://www.firstgiving.com/cdonato

Sometimes when it rains, you need to make rainbows!

Unfortunatly, yesterday was a downpour in NY! We worried all week what we were going to do, and hoped the storm would shift. It didn't stop raining. I was just getting over a cold... and as we all know I have lupus. I didn't want to chance getting sick. It was hard to make the "smart and safe" call to not walk since my family has been walking in this event for 15 years. It is hard to be an adult sometimes. So last minute, right before the walk we quickly made phone calls and decided to have an impromptu "Happy Lupus Walk Day" party. We had over 30 people on our team, so we had to make calls, ask other people to make calls, we texted and emailed everyone. Frank I quickly cleaned the house, pulled together some brunch ideas, and the party began at 10am. That is the same time the walk would have started for us. The walk actually did still go on, rain or shine in the park.

This Sunday October 18th is the annual Lupus Walk fundraiser for the Lupus Alliance in my local area. I am a person living with Lupus. My family and I pride ourselves on being one of the top fundraising teams every year. We make phone calls or send email messages to family, friends and co-workers. We even try to “beat” our previous fundraising goals each year.

Don't you wish that you had something witty to say when someone says the inevitable.. But you don't look sick?!

Well now you do, Thanks to our message board members we have a WHOLE list !! Even if you feel you can't really use these answers when people ask, you can most certanly think of them and giggle.

The Miserandino Family has been walking for 14 years in the walk along for Lupus on Long Island. 4 years ago we were happy to add my husband's family (The Donato's) to our efforts. Last year my team raised over $11,000... we want to beat that this year and make this our best year yet! Last year we were honored at the Lupus Gala for our volunteer work with this wonderful organization.

AP LONDON, England --
The real life Lucy from the Beatles’ song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” has died after a long fight against lupus.

The death of Lucy Vodden at age 46 has been announced by St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, where she was treated.

The hospital said Monday she died after battling the disease for years.

*Christine's friends and family are walking in the annual Lupus Walk again! If you can donate, wonderful. If you can't donate, please pass this email on to others. Word of mouth is worth so much.

Please click this link for more information about Christine and the Lupus Walk.
Many people have asked me why I choose to participate in the Walk Along for Lupus. Of course there are many other things I can be doing with my time on an early Sunday morning. Asking a women who has lupus and arthritis to wake up early and walk is certainly asking for a miracle. This year will be especially hard to get out of the house with my 2 year old daughter. Hasn't anyone ever thought of a sleep athon??

Please take the time to read Christine Miserandino's personal story and analogy of what it is like to live with sickness or disability.

Click HERE to read "The Spoon Theory"

I remember going to the bright lights of Atlantic City and watching people play roulette. I would just walk around and watch people. I liked to watch the “high rollers” because they seemed so carefree with amounts of money that would make me sick, if I lost. For a moment, I would love to be able to be one of them and not have a care in the world, and be able to bet freely. I stayed long enough to watch the same older man, win big.

People were cheering for him, as he bet black. He looked like luck was on his side that night, but then he just broke even, no cheers that time, but no big disappointments either, he was safe. Just as I was about to walk away I watched as he lost it all. He looked frustrated and even a little mad, but he continued to play anyway. In a matter of minutes I saw such a wide spectrum of luck and emotion. I laughed to myself knowing I couldn’t even afford to play. I walked away and never forgot thinking “that is my life… a roulette wheel. I never know what I'll wake up to, what I can do, or how I am going to feel.” It’s all a risk, an unknown.

You do not need to spend a lot of money. You can be thoughtful in so many ways. The point is to do something, and do something today. I have listed below 36 easy ideas that anyone would appreciate. Sometimes it is hard for a patient to ask for help. Just do it!

The hardest thing about chronic disease is that is is chronic. I had a friend who had a really bad flu and she received flowers that very week. With me – since I am sick all the time… I get nothing. Am I any less sick, sad, frustrated, lonely, or bored. NO, I need your love and support now more than ever. When everyone else forgets that I am still in this struggle with my illness….. please remember. It didn’t go away, I didn’t forget. I need you to be my friend.

Christine Donato, board member of the Lupus Alliance of America, is featured in a recent edition of Legislative Report with Senator Kemp Hannon (R-NY) to promote Lupus Awareness Month. In the interview is also JoAnn Quinn the executive director of the Lupus Alliance, Long Island/ Queens affiliate. It was a wonderful experience and I was honored to be chosen to be apart of the interview. The interview can be seen below. Please note that the interview had to be saved in 2 halves, so you will need to view both videos to see the entire show.